It is often difficult for firearms to achieve a high degree of accuracy in hitting their targets when the firearms solely employ an optical sighting mechanism such as open “iron” sites to a sighting telescope. This difficulty is caused in particular by various influences having an increasing impact on the ability to accurately aim the rifle, as the distances from the rifle to the target increase. One influence on the inaccuracy of a projectile is that a projectile travels along a ballistic trajectory that is determined by the design and fabrication of the firearm.
The type of ammunition used also influences the trajectory of a projectile. Moreover, for the same ammunition, the cartridge temperature and barrel temperature at the time of discharging each projectile, both influence the course of the projectile's trajectory. For the reasons stated above, it is useful to provide a sighting mechanism for a firearm that is capable of making corrections that take into account the existing circumstances that influence the trajectory of the projectile. Preferably, the device's ability to correct are such that they can be altered automatically and performed and made virtually instantaneously.
Several attempts have been made to overcome the problems discussed above.
United States Patent Publication No. 2005/0268521 A1, discloses an electronic sighting mechanism for a firearm that includes a laser range finder, a global positioning system antenna for receiving electromagnetic GPS signals of a known type emitted by a GPS satellite, a wind sensor, a tilt sensor, a pressure sensor for sensing ambient barometric pressure in the vicinity of the device, a sensor for detecting ambient temperature and ambient humidity in the vicinity of the device, an accelerometer, and a gyroscope. Each of the foregoing is operationally coupled to a processing section. The device is arranged on the firearm in parallel with the barrel of the firearm such that the device captures the image of the sighting field and displays it on a video screen with a reticle arranged on the screen. The reticle is positioned automatically according to the incoming data so that the position of the reticle in the sighting field corresponds to the approximate point of projectile impact as calculated by the processing section, which utilizes inputs from the aforementioned sensors and devices.
An apparatus and method for determining, displaying and recording the impact point of one or more projectiles from a firearm on a sighting field is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,158, to Golubic. The Golubic apparatus uses sensor elements to measure and calculate the effects of humidity, temperature, barometric pressure, angle of elevation, wind velocity at the point of the device and direction of each projectile without the need of actual discharge of the firearm by recording calculated impact points on the stored field of view and displays them as impact point reticles, relative to zero-range reticle superimposed upon the sighting field by the device. The device uses a trajectory calculating microprocessor unit, an optical image conversion unit such as a charged coupled device or suitable integrated circuit, a recording unit, a range finder associated with the trajectory calculating microprocessor unit and a plurality of sensors which automatically supply the trajectory calculating microprocessor unit with environmental conditions. An entry device is employed to enter parameter data into the trajectory calculating processor unit in a plurality of control switches. The calculation of the estimated projectile point of impact is made relative to the field of view of the zoom lens and the image presented to the observer by combining signals from the trajectory calculating microprocessor unit with the signal providing an image to be displayed on the display/recording unit. The device is intended to be used for dry-firing the firearm for practice shooting. The invention therefore eliminates the need for using live ammunition during hunting and/or target acquisition activity and can provide a record of the estimated result of discharging a projectile.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,355, to Day, discloses a gun mounted video camera provided with a gun. Also included is a video camera connected to the gun for accepting video images of a target. Day discloses a video scope wherein the device can be utilized for viewing and recording a target in real time while hunting.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,926,219 B2, to Reimer, discloses an improvised digital scope for locating and targeting objects. The scope includes an imaged detection device that is configured to collect image data of a sighted region. The scope further includes a display screen that is electronically connected to the image detection device and is configured to display image data of the sight of region as a continuous video feed.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,292,262 B2, to Towery et al. discloses a firearm that can detect engagement of a firing pin with a cartridge and can respond to this event by saving an image that shows the target and reticle at a time just prior to the detected event. The electronic reticle can be downloaded into the sight. The effect of the position of the reticle within the sight can be moved electronically and a zoom factor of the sight can be adjusted electronically. The sight can sense approximate transfer movement, and provide a user with an indication of the amount of transfer of movement that occurs when the firearm to which the device is affixed is fired. With the use of an additional device, the sight can automatically align its reticle to the bore of a firearm on which the sight is mounted. The device measures and indicates transfers movement that the marksman causes to occur when the marksman fires a firearm.
US Patent Pub No. US 2010/0251593 A1, to Backlund et al., discloses a device for automatic calibration of optical sights for a firearm wherein only one shot is fired to sight in the firearm. The device can be integrated with an optical sight or fitted as a separate unit mounted on the sight. The device consists of a digital camera, a beam splitter, a microprocessor including a memory for camera images and computer software, servo motors, a gear mechanism, an electrical switch and light emitting diodes in a shot detecting sensor. In a digital sight application, the device also includes a display unit while servo motors, gear mechanisms, light emitting dials and beam splitter are excluded.
The calibration procedure involves firing a round at a target consisting of a rectangular white surface on a dark background at a chosen target range. The camera saves the last image immediately before the firing moment and compares the crosshairs position with that of a follow up image from which the projectile point of impact can be found on the rectangular white surface on the dark background. After calculations that determine the error between the point of aim and the projectile point of impact which are based on image analysis only, the position of the cross-hairs is adjusted by servo motors to align with the detected projectile impact point position in the digital sight application.
A sighting telescope for a firearm is shown in EP 0966 647 B1, wherein a sighting telescope is equipped with at least one micromotor and a laser beam telemeter that determines the distance between the marksman and the target disc. This distance is transmitted to a computer that stores the perpendicular of the trajectory of the bullet at said distance in its memory. The computer triggers the micromotor as a function of the distance thus determined and of the perpendicular of the trajectory of the bullet at this distance. It is further provided that the sighting telescope is attached to a horizontal rotational axis such that it can be swiveled and that the micromotor is placed such that it can swivel the sighting telescope about the horizontal rotational axis in order to vary the angle of the sighting telescope with respect to the axis of the firearm on which the sighting telescope is to be used in order to correct the elevation or depression of a shot with respect to a zero point as a function of the distance thus determined and of the perpendicular to the trajectory of the bullet in order to thus vary the position of the reticle of the sighting telescope from the original target point to the target point provided for said distance. Moreover, it allows a second micrometer to be placed such that it allows the sighting telescope to be swiveled about a vertical axis in order to correct the angle of the trajectory towards the right and towards the left with regard to a zero point, and do so as a function of the wind velocity and/or motion of the target disc.
A digital sighting telescope mounted on a small firearm is known from DE 101 05 036 A1. This invention provides that a screen replaces or supplements the eyepiece of the sighting telescope. Moreover, various forms of reticle can be selected or faded-in in this digital sighting telescope, whereby each selected and faded-in reticle is centered in the middle of the image and upon readjustment remains in the original middle of the image and, upon a change of program, the new reticle is centered to the position of the previous reticle and therefore the holding point remains unchanged, whereby an image with shot-tested stored reticle can be accepted to obtain a program. In the case of multi-barreled firearms, this is carried out for each barrel. Moreover, the DE '036 reference provides that the digital sighting telescope can be mounted on multiple firearms. Each firearm is shot-tested with each reticle and thus data is obtained and stored.
DE 42 18 118 C2 discloses a sighting telescope equipped with adjusting organs that is attached to a rifle, in particular a hunting rifle. In addition, a distance meter is used. The invention also provides that a processor connected to a distance meter via a measuring transducer is attached to the sighting telescope. This processor comprises a replaceable chip card on its input side, in which ballistic parameters of the bullet used are recorded, and which, on its output side, is connected to an adjustment motor of the adjusting organ for effecting a vertical change of the sighting optics and to an adjustment motor of the adjusting organ for effecting a lateral change of the sighting optics.
From U.S. Pat. No. 6,449,892 B1 discloses a firearm, such as a rifle. This rifle is equipped with a computer that provides additional information and communication options to the marksman to support the marksman during a mission. However, the '892 sighting mechanism comprises a single sighting optics that is directed to be parallel to the barrel of the firearm and that is combined with a camera. Combination with a night-viewing device is also possible, if needed. The recorded image is displayed on a screen within the sighting field of the marksman. Processing of the image is not carried out in this context. It appears that data from the global positioning systems (GPS), from a laser distance meter and from an azimuth and aiming height sensor is entered into the computer and used by the computer to calculate the coordinates of a selected target relative to the position of the sighting mechanism and firearm. These target coordinates are then displayed by the computer of the firearm on a display such as to be visible to the marksman. By this means, the marksman receives readable information that supports him in the process of aiming. However, the marksman must analyze and assess the data displayed to him himself and draw his own conclusions from the data displayed, and he must change the direction of the firearm accordingly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,112 A discloses a firearm with a corresponding sighting mechanism that utilizes two cameras. A first camera is arranged on the barrel of the firearm and its lens is directed at a marksman operating the firearm. A second camera is situated on a piece of equipment worn by the marksman, in particular a helmet, and directed at the target area. In this context, the cameras are directed such that each camera is within the area of recording of the corresponding other camera. A corresponding computer calculates a trajectory of the firearm from the data delivered by the two cameras and displays it optically on a screen that is situated within the sighting field of the marksman and displays only the image of the target area recorded by the second camera.
From U.S. Pat. No. 7,810,273 B2 discloses a sighting mechanism for a firearm, including two video cameras, a video screen, a digital sighting distance meter, a sensor for measuring environment, cartridge and/or firearm parameters, a biometric sensor, a memory module for biometric data and/or munitions data and a digital computer. The video cameras are arranged parallel to each other to capture the target sighting field. The computer has video inputs and an image processing unit enabling the video image data to be superimposed in a pixel precise manner in relation to the target field on the screen. The computer includes a ballistic computer which enables the target image to reproduce the screen. A reticle arranged on the screen can be positioned automatically and in real time according to the incoming data, such that the position of the graticule in the target field corresponds to a calculated approximate point of projectile impact.
Although the above-mentioned devices likely perform their intended duties in a workmanlike manner, room for improvement exists.
It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a sighting mechanism that provides for accurate aiming by the marksman, while being simple to operate and quick to actuate.